gilchbist



(No Model.) 4 SheetS Sheet 2.,

D. GILOHRIST.

HOISTING APPARATUS. No. 310,667. Patented Jan. 13,1885

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

1).v GILGHRIST.

HOISTING APPARATUS..

No. 310,667; Patented Jan. 13, 1885.

JF'iJ k 27 7'0 7 Javca 22 6176; r225} 4 Sheets-Sheet 4L (No Model.

D. GILGHR IST. H'OISTING APPARATUS.

No. 310,667. Patented Jan. 13, 1885- um AWN DUNCAN GILCHRIST, OFISHPEMING,

ATET anion.

MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE llIARINETTE IRON IVORKS COMPANY,OF ll'IARINETTE, \VIS.

HOISTING APPARATUS.

IsPiElC'IFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,667, datedJanuary 13, 1885.

' Application filed December 20, 1883. (No model.) a

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DUNCAN GrLcnRrsr, a citizen of the United States,and residing at Ishpeming, in the county of Marquette and State ofMichigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in HoistingAp- 'paratus, which is fully set forth in the following specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in whieh IO Figure 1represents a plan view of a hoisting apparatus embodying myimprovements; Fig. 2, a front elevation of the same on an enlargedscale,with the gearing and a portion of the frame at each end removed;Fig. 3, a

I5 cross-section of the same, taken on the line gr :0, Fig. 1, and onthe same enlarged scale; and Fig. 4, a longitudinal section of the same,taken on the line y 1 Fig. 1, and on the same enlarged scale.

My invention relates to that classof niachines used in mines forhoisting ore therefrom; and with my improvements are combined somefeatures of construction which are common in other machines of the sameclass, and which, though fully shown in the drawings to exemplify theapplication of my improvements, are not claimed as my invention.

The object of my invention is to provide mechanisms which are eflicicntand effective to do the required work, and at the same time to securesimplicity of construction and ac cessibility to the different parts forrenewal and repair; also,,to relieve the central portion of the drivingshaft of all weight and wear,

as well as the strain caused by the raising of the ore-bucket upon thedrum or spool; and also to maintain the hoisting drum or spool in a truecentral position with reference to 4 its revolution about its own axiswhen in the operation of hoisting.

One of the principal features of my invention consists in deviceswhereby power is applied to a drum or spool (of any suitable form,

and around which the hoisting-rope is coiled as the drum revolves) andcauses itto revolve in the proper direction to raise the bucket or skipcontaining the ore up out of the mine, which being accomplished, thedrum is released, so that it may revolve in the opposite 5o direction topermit the ore bucket or skip to be lowered again into the mine, thedrum revolving loosely upon the driving-shaft, being controlled by alowering brake of any approved form as the bucket descends.

A shaft supported by boxes resting on a base-plate, a loosely-revolvingdrum mounted thereon, a lowering brake, and gearing by which powerisimparted to the driving-shaft, are not new; nor are they claimed by meas a part of my invention, except as they stand in combination with thedevices which I have invented for engaging the shaft with the drum orspool by which power is applied to the same, in order that it may becaused to revolve in the direction necessary to raise the ore-bucket outof the mine, and disengage the drum from the shaft for lowering thebucket.

I will proceed to describe one way in which I have embodied my inventionin practical form, and will then point out more definitely in the claimsthe special improvements which I believe to be new, and wish to protectby Letters Patent.

In the drawings, A represents the baseplate of a hoisting machine, and Bboxes which rest on the plate, and which support a suitable driving ordrum shaft, C, mounted therein. A large spur-gear wheel, D, is socurelykeyed to this driving shaft C, and a driving spur-pinion, E, is arrangedto engage with this gear-wheel to impart motion thereto in onecontinuous direction. The drivingpinion is on the engine-shaft, or onsome shaft having power imparted to it suffieient to do the workrequired.

A spool or drum, F, is mounted loosely on the driving shaft. and ingeneral features is of any approved form of construction adapted to thewinding of the hoisting-rope around 0 it in the operation of hoistingthe ore bucket or skip. That part of the drum. which is changed from theordinary construction in the application of my invention will bepresently described.

A brake, G, is applied to the drum for the purpose of retaining it in afixed position, or of controlling its rotation, when released, and.

permitted to revolve freely on the shaft to 'lower the ore bucket orskip into the mine.

This brake may be of any suitable and approved form of constructionadapted to the purpose. In the drawings it is shown as a friction-bandapplied to a grooved rim of one end of the drum.

All of these parts mentioned thus far are common to hoisting-machinesgenerally in use, and do not require more specific description here, itbeing understood, however, that in this statement I speak of the drum ina general way, and do not include some peculiarities of construction,which I will now proceed to'describe.

The main body of the drum is secured to iron-spoked flanges f by meansof bolts f, one of these flanges being located at each end of the drum,and being fitted loosely to the driving-shaft C by elongated hubs f asshown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. It will thus be seen that the flangesform the support of the drum on the shaft, and as they are mountedloosely on the shaft, and are practically a part of the drum, the latteris free to revolve in either direction, being independent of and in nowise connected to the driving-shaft, except as engagement is madethereto by means of certain devices which enter into my invention. Theouter ends, f, of the drum or flanges are flaring, and are constructedso as to present inside beveled surfaces, f", as shown in Fig. 4 of thedrawings, which are arranged at any suitable angle to the axis of thedrum, and have a width of face sufficient to make a perfect engagementwith corresponding faces on driving plates or clutches. These drivingplates or carriers II are mounted on the driving-shaft just outside ofthe drum, and one at each end thereof. They are provided with elongatedhubs 71, by which they are secured to the shaft C by splines and groove,or some other device which will fasten the plates to the shaft so thatthey will turn' therewith, and will permit them to be readily moved backand forth lengthwise of the shaft.. These plates at their peripheryhavea broad rim, h, which is beveled on its outer face to correspondwith the interior bevels on the drum, and upon these beveled faces ofthe plates or carriers is applied a covering, h of wood, vulcanizedfiber, or any other suitable material for producing reliable frictionalcontact with the drum. Obviously, when these plates or carriers aremoved inward toward the ends of the drum, their beveled faces will bebrought in contact with the interior beveled faces of the drum, and thegreater the force applied to the plates the greater will be thefrictional contact; but if the plates are moved outward from the drumthis frictional contact will at once be broken. These plates or carriersthus constitute a kind of clutch, by means of which the drums aresecured to the shaft whenever desired, for as'the plates are fastened tothe shaftso as to revolve therewith whenever they in turn are secured tothe drums by frictional contact therewith, as described above, they willin turn connect the drums to the shaft, and carry them with them intheir revolution. It is of course necessary to put the sliding movementof these friction-plates under the control of the operator, so that athis pleasure he can force them into frictional contact with the drums,to revolve the latter whenever it is desired to hoist from the mine, andcan as readily disengage them, thereby freeing the drums, andpermittingthem to revolve loosely in the opposite direction when thehoisting is completed and it is desired to lower the buckets again. Toaccomplish this, the hubs of the driving plates or carriers are providedwith grooves h near their outer ends, and in these groovesclutch-collars I are fitted, to which are connected the inner ends offorked levers K, the collars being provided with studs '0 on oppositesides of the hub, which enter corresponding apertures, k, in the ends ofthe levers. These levers are supported by brackets J, to which they arepivoted, and which are attached to or made a part of the frame of theapparatus. A trunnioned box, L, is arranged between the forks at theouter ends of the levers, and all are fastened together and securelyheld in place by means of nuts Z, turned on the outer ends of thetrunnions. \Vithin these boxes L are fitted the outer ends of con--necting-rods M,which are provided with long cross or threaded sectionsat at these ends,and adj usting-n uts m,whereby they may be length enedand shortened. The inner ends of these connecting-rods are attached toopposite ends of a crank-arm, N, which is securely fasten-ed toavertical shaft, 0, or is made a part of said shaft, the latter beingmounted in suitable bearings. The crank-arm is arranged at right anglesto the face of the drum, and hence one of theeonnccting-rods is attachedto it on the outside of the crank-arm shaft and the other on the insidethereof, or behind the shaft, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.It will be observed from this description that in oscillation thecrank-arm shaft will vibrate the crank-arm, and thus act simultaneouslyin the proper direction on the forked levers at the ends of the drum,and thereby slide the friction-plates upon their driving-shaft eithertoward or from the drum. An iron bracket, I, is secured to thebase-plate A, and supports the vertical crank-shaft in suitablebearings. A worm-wheel, R, is secured to the upper end of this verticalshaft, and a worm, S, is incased within the bracket P and arranged toengage with the worm-wheel, as shown in the drawings. On one end of theworm-shaft is a spoked hand-wheel, s, by means of which the operatorrotates the shaft, and obviously thereby operates the mechanismdescribed above,by which frictional contact is made and broken betweenthe plates or carriers and the drums on the driving-shaft.

The operation of this mechanism is as follows: Power being applied tothe driving spur pinion, it imparts motion to the large spurgear on thedriving-shaft, thereby revolving the latter, and with it the frictionaldriving plates or carriers,the direction in which these carriers revolvebeing theproper one for hoisting the ore bucket or skip out of the mine.The signal to hoist being given, the operator releases the brake, and bymeans of thehandwheel revolves the worm in the proper direction to turnthe worm-wheel, and with it the vertical shaft and cranlcarms, so as toforce apart the outer ends of the forked levers, whereby it is evidentthe inner ends of said levers will be moved toward each other, there byforcing the frictional driving plates in ward toward the respective endsof the drum and causing them to engage with the beveledfriction-surfaces on the latter, thereby telnporarily securing the drumsto the plates and causing them to revolve with the latter. Obviously themovement of the plates will be gradual, and so motion will beimparted tothe drum or spool gradually at the beginning of frictional contact,andwill gradually increase until finally the same speed will be given tothe drum as the plates have, according as the pressure on the latter isincreased by means of the mechanism operated by the attendant, thusplacing in his hand a perfect control over the drum, so that he canregulate the speed of its movement in hoisting entirelyby means of theengaging mechanism. When the bucket or skip containing the ore has beenraised as high as required, the operator reverses the action of thehand-wheel, thereby reversing the movement of the other devices operatedthereby, and so the frictional driving-plates will be drawn away fromthe drum and the latter will stop,when at once the brake is applied toretain the drum in position,ready to be lowered again at the propermoment, while the driving-shaft continues to revolve. The drum re volvesloosely on its shaft under the weightof the ore-bucket when it isdesired to lower the latter, the movement being controlled by the brake.

It will be noticed in the description above that the internal, cones orflanges are on the ends of the drums, and the sliding plates having theoutside cones or beveled faces are brought into frictional contactdirectly with the bevels of the internal cones on the drum. Thisconstruction is adapted to drums ofsmaller sizesay, for instance, up tosix feet in diameter, but when drums of larger diameter are employed itwill be necessary to change the organization somewhat perhaps, for insuch large sizes it will be difficult to hold the frictional plates upinto such close contact with the drums asis required.

fer not to apply the friction devices directly to the drum; but in lieuthereofI key the drum rigidly to its shaft, and arrange by the side ofit a large-diameter gear-wheel, also keyed I mount a pinion looselyrigidly to the shaft.

In such cases I preon a counter-shaft arranged so that the pinion willwork in the large spur-gearabove named, and provide the pinion with thefriction-bevels described above for the drums, and also mount on thepinion-shaft the friction-plate, with its bevels, the same as describedfor the drum ofthe shaft. This counter-shaft on which the pinion ismounted is of course arranged to revolve continuously, being driven inany suitable way by the engine, and obviously by op erating the frictiondevices, as already described, the pinion will be connected to anddisconnected from its shaft at pleasure, and so will drive thedrum-shaft through the large gear-wh eel fastened thereto, or re mainstationary on its shaft, which continues to revolve without turningthedrum, accordingly as the friction-surfaces are engaged or disengaged.

In the above description reference has been made to only a singlehoisting-machine-that is, one with a single drum; but a number of thesedrums may be mounted on the same driving-shaft, which may be extendedfor that purpose. This arrangement is frequently adopted, all the drumsbeing operated by the same shaft and by one set of gears, as describedabove for the single drum. It will be understood, however, that inapplying my invention to this arrangement each drum will have its ownset of frictional driving-plates and operating devices for engaging themwith the drum and disengaging therefrom, so that each drum may beoperated independently of the others.

In some details of construction and arrangement changes may be made inthe mechanism described above, and I do not wish to be understoood aslimiting myself to the precise details of construction or the preciseparts and devices which I have herein shown and de scribed.

I would also state that although I have described my invention asapplied to hoistingmachines for mining purposes, I do not wish to beunderstood as limiting the invention to this particular machine, asobviously, the improvements are applicable to hoisting-ma chines forvariouspurposes.

Having thus described my inventi.on,what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Thecontinuously-revolvingdriving-shaft, in combination with the drumloosely mounted thereon and provided with beveled frictionfaces, thepair of d riving-plates feathered to the shaft on opposite sides of thedrum and provided with corresponding beveled friction-faces, and thelevers K, arranged opposite the plates, respectively, each provided atone end with a fork which embraces the hub of the corresponding plate,and fulcrumed on the frame between said hub and the front side of themachine, substantially as and for the purpose de scribed.

2. The continuously-rcvolving driving-shaft, in combination with thedrum mounted loosely thereon and provided with the beveled fric- I QC-IIO tion-faces, the pair of plates feathered to the shaft and providedwith corresponding beveled friction-faces, the forked levers, eachconnected at its inner end with the corresponding tion driving-platesfeathered to the shaft, the

forked levers respectively connected at their inner ends to the hubs ofthe plates, the trunnioned boxes mounted in the forks at the outer endsof the said levers, the connecting-rods fitted, respectively, in thesaid boxes, the vertical shaft provided with a double-crank arm, towhich the connecting-rods are attached, respectivel y, on opposite sidesof the shaft, and the worm-gearing for turning the vertical shaft ineither direction, substantially as and 2 5 for the purposes set forth.

DUNCAN GILOHRIST. \Vitnesses:

JAMES MCDOWELL, .T. I). GILCHRIS'F.

